Saturday, June 15, 2013

This book was pretty good. I couldn't help but think of The Great Gatsby although this was written before. I never read anything with the main character that was a very bold egotistic person than Amory Blaine was. He was an interesting character to say the least. After his mother died I thought Amory would of settled down. But just the opposite. At times it was painful to see him struggle as he did to be that perfect person. And to be intelligent in his own way. Going to Princeton University and to make sure he was in that ivy league school. It was funny to hear him have a poem for each turn of his life. Although good to see him interested in reading and writing.
I was getting a little curious of how his relationship to Monsignor Darcy was going to take. Than I found out how much of an influence Darcy had on Amory. A good compass for Amory to follow. Amory did have his values and did use them with his friends as well as girlfriends. Even to the point of taking a bad rap for his friend Alec who misused the Mann Act and brought a woman with.
He was unlucky in love. To think he was compatible to one, to find out her values were spoken for of status. I feel for him. For this is the struggle that is painful to see.

After he took a fall in his reputation with the incident with his friend Alec, funny how all a sudden he has this revelation that Amory was going to turn his life around. He looked deep into his life and saw what he accomplished and what he missed on what should he of done. I found that his true love was Rosalind. And how it would never come about.

Amory did have his chance to let everything out that was what he believed. Two men gave him a ride. As it turned out one of the men was a friend's father. He even mentioned about it was the first time that Amory was able to argue Socialism. It is the only remedy to the difficulties. I am restless Amory says. My whole generation is restless. This was Amory Blaine's side of paradise.

I read a little on how This Side of Paradise came to be. It is writings of part of who F Scott Fitzgerald was. Seems to me he had so many great ideas to write, when I did read I had to stop and comprehend what he was trying to convey. A lot of information. There are some issues that he did address that today is still a struggle for many in our country.
People do say even the most wackiest things that are written on TV,movies whatever are not far from what is true today. Who knows, Fitzgerald might of had that foresight.
As for The Great Gatsby being like This Side of Paradise I feel it was more refined writing after his raw piece that he wrote of this book.

I give This Side of Paradise 4

only because the writings came quick and together and needed to be waded through